Exercise machine

ABSTRACT

An exercise machine for providing a motion, climbing a hill with hand weights, includes single swing arms with fixed foot platforms and forwardly extending substantially horizontal handles. The swing arms and foot platforms are interlocked through a flexible link and pulley arrangement. The machine has provision for adjusting the length of the travel arcs, which changes length of stride of the foot platforms, and the climbing effect, which alters the workout intensity. The machine of the invention is readily foldable for storage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

The present invention relates generally to a novel exercise machine thatprovides a motion that generally simulates climbing a hill with handweights. There have been many prior art exercise machines for providingmotions that simulate walking, stepping, stair climbing, gliding, etc. Amajor consideration in designing exercising machines is that ofminimizing impact on the user's knees ankles and back. For the homemarket, considerations of importance are cost, variability of theintensity of workout attainable, size of the apparatus, ease of use,stability and storability, i.e., can the machine be easily collapsed andmoved out of the way, if desired.

The powered treadmill exercise machine has proven very popular. Thetreadmill, like walking itself, has a significant downside, namely itsubjects the user's body to fairly large impact forces. Glider typeexercise machines, on the other hand, can approach near zero impact.However, in order to achieve a good workout, a glider may require largemovements, which many users find beyond their capabilities.

Glider exercise machines having single swing arms with rigidly attachedfoot platforms are relatively simple and effective for many users, yetthey lack inherent stability. Some gliders have a stationary handlebarto offer balance. In many gliders the swing arms and foot platforms areinterlocked so that they always move in opposite directions. Many glidertype machines have dual swing arms that support the foot platforms in aparallelogram for adding stability to the machine and flattening thefoot platforms' travel arc.

The art also includes many stepper type exercise machines, some withinterlocked foot platforms. Stepper machines generally enable only upand down foot platform motion.

Another class of machines constrains the foot platforms to an ellipticalmotion, resulting in a modified bicycle type action that is favored bysome users. These machines usually include upright handles that aremovable with the foot platforms for providing balance and enabling upperbody action. All of these types of exercise machines have certainadvantages, which their advocates stress.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,244 to Simonson describes an exercise machine thatincludes interlocked foot platforms that are suspended from multipleswing arms with upright handles. The interlocking may comprise a softlink, such as a rope, cable, chain, etc., or a hard link, such as arocker lever. The user, of course, can adjust his length of stridewithin the fixed range of the arc. The suspension of the foot platformsfrom the multiple swing arms keeps the foot platforms substantiallyparallel to the ground throughout the majority of their travel. Thepatent describes arrangements for changing the machine loading. Theloading mechanisms may comprise alternator resistance, resistancedevices, such as shock absorbers or hydraulic devices, as well as meansfor relocating the resistance devices so as to change the mechanicaladvantage. The foot platforms of the system, and therefore the user'sweight, are biased out in front of the swing arm pivots. As the footplatforms reciprocate through the travel arc, they reach a positionwhere they are alongside each other (the handles also align at thispoint) and the foot platforms pass each other as the motion iscontinued. The position of alignment is referred to in the patent as theneutral position. The neutral position is in front of the positiondefined by an imaginary vertical line through the swing arm pivot. Thislatter position is directly below the swing arm pivot, where gravitywould bring the foot platform to a stop when a user puts weight on onlyone of the free swinging foot platforms. As will be described below,Applicants' exercise machine, while similar in many respects to thepatented machine, offers a significantly different motion to the feet,ankles, hands and arms of the user and gives rise to other benefits tobe described.

A contemporary popular machine in club gyms is the Arc Trainer by Cybex®International, Inc. as described in a Giannelli Patent ApplicationPublication US 2004/0224285 A1. (Both the Simonson patent and theGiannelli publication are assigned to Cybex® International, Inc.) TheGiannelli publication uses similar multiple swing arms for keeping thefoot platforms parallel. The machine includes upright handles that areinterconnected by a crank arm with the foot platforms. While the crankmechanism is movable on the frame for adjusting the climbing effect ofthe machine, the stride length is constant.

With the present invention exercise machine, a novel motion is achievedwhich simulates a combination of walking uphill with small hand weights.The machine includes single swing arms with fixed foot platforms andforwardly extending, substantially horizontal, handles that are affixedto the swing arms. The swing arms and foot platforms are interlockedthrough a flexible link and pulley arrangement. The flexible link maycomprise a cable or a rope, or any other similar type connection. A usermay add an upper body workout by simultaneously pulling or pushing onthe horizontal handles while moving the foot platforms. The machine alsohas provision for adjusting the length of stride and the climbingeffect. The machine of the invention is well suited for the home marketdue to its low cost, ease of use and stability. Additionally, its designlends itself to be readily broken down for shipping and storage.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

A principal object of the invention is to provide a novel exercisemachine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a desirable device motionwith a low cost, small machine suitable to home use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a stable exercisemachine having interlocked single swing arms.

A further object of the invention is to provide an exercise machine witha simple arrangement for changing workout intensity.

A feature of the invention resides in the horizontally forwardlyextending handles interlocked with the foot platforms for enablingvigorous upper and lower body exercising, as well as moderate lower bodyworkouts or low intensity shuffling.

Another feature of the invention resides in enabling the length of theflexible link to be readily changed to alter the length and height ofstride.

A still further feature resides in the positioning of the pulleys closeto the ground at the front of the machine to enable the foot platformsto pass thereover to reduce the machine's foot print and to enhance itsfoldability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and features of the invention will be apparentupon reading the following description in conjunction with the drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a left front perspective view of the exercise machine of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a left side view of the exercise machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the exercise machine of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is partial view of one form of a pulley arrangement taken alongthe lines 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view illustrating the load changingmechanism;

FIGS. 6-11 illustrate differences between Applicants' inventive deviceand the prior art;

FIGS. 12-15 illustrate foot platform movement paths for the inventivedevice and the prior art;

FIG. 16 shows the pulley arrangement in the inventive device thatenables a “fold up” design;

FIG. 17 is a top view of the exercise machine of the invention modifiedto function with a single pulley; and

FIG. 18 is a partial view of FIG. 17 illustrating the flexible linkadjustment in an exercise machine having a single pulley arrangement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises an exercise machine including single swing armswith fixed foot platforms and forwardly extending, substantiallyhorizontal, handles that are affixed to the swing arms. The swing armsand foot platforms are interlocked through a flexible link and pulleyarrangement. The machine includes means for adjusting the maximum travelarc of the foot platforms, which also changes the climbing effect of theexercise machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following description is best read in conjunction with FIGS. 1-3 ofthe drawings. A left front leg 12 and a right front leg 14, connected bya cross tube 17, cooperate with a U-shaped rear leg 15 to provide aframe for exercise machine 10. The open ends of U-shaped rear leg 15 arepivotally connected to front legs 12 and 14 (slightly more than half wayup legs 12 and 14) and are joined thereto by a pivotal connection 24 inplates 20,20′ and a pivotal connection 26 in plates 22,22′,respectively. The legs are preferably constructed of tubular steel. Theplates 20,20′ and 22,22′ are preferably welded to front legs 12 and 14,respectively. It will be appreciated that all rigid mechanicalconnections on the exercise machine are preferably accomplished bywelding, although any other appropriate form of connecting the parts isacceptable. Cross tube 17 is connected, by welding, to front legs 12 and14 near their lower ends. A left swing arm 28 and a right swing arm 30are pivotally mounted on pivots 40 and 42, which are secured, by anywell-known means, to the upper ends of front legs 12 and 14,respectively. Foot platforms 32 and 34 are affixed to two extensions 32a and 34 a that are welded to the bottoms of respective ones of swingarms 28 and 30.

Two forwardly extending horizontal handles 16 and 18 are secured topivots 40 and 42, respectively. Thus, handle 16 and swing arm 28 arerotatable on pivot 40, and handle 18 and swing arm 30 are rotatable onpivot 42. A pair of flexible braces 36 and 38 (affixed to front legs 12and 14, by suitable fittings such as fittings 36 a,36 b) connect legs 12and 14 together to provide an “A frame” type of support for machine 10.The flexibility of braces 36 and 38, as will be seen, contribute to thefoldability of machine 10. In this connection, it will be appreciatedthat the term flexibility also includes pivotable linkages such as thoseemployed in folding step stools, and the like. Pivots 40 and 42 includeextension plates 44 and 46, respectively, for providing pivotalconnections to first ends of resistance devices, such as conventionalshock absorbers 48 and 50, respectively, with the other ends of theresistance devices being pivotally connected to plates 20,20′ and 22,22′at hinge points 52 and 54, respectively. Suitable bushings 48 a,48 b and50 a,50 b couple the ends of shock absorbers 48 and 50 to hinge points52 and 54, respectively.

A pair of pulley devices 56 and 58 is secured behind cross tube 17 tothe inside lower portions of front legs 12 and 14, respectively. Aflexible link 19 engages pulley devices 56 and 58 and is attached at oneend to the heel of foot platform 32 via a pivotally mounted guide 60.The other end of flexible link 19 is passed over a pivotally mountedguide 62 on the heel of foot platform 34 and secured to an adjustmentmechanism 70, that is affixed to the lower end of swing arm 30. Finally,two rollers 64 and 66, which are normally out of contact with the floor,are secured to the base portion of U-shaped rear leg 15 to facilitatemovement of the exercise machine.

FIG. 4 is a partial view showing pulley device 56. It includes aU-shaped frame 56 a, housing a pulley 56 b, that is rotatably mounted onan axle pin 56 c. Frame 56 a is, in turn, rotatably mounted on acylindrical rod 56 d that is welded to the inside of front leg 12.Flexible link 19 passes over pulley 56 b and is captivated within frame56 a. It will be appreciated that a similar arrangement obtains forpulley device 58 with respect to front leg 14. The hinging movement ofpulley device 56 on cylindrical rod 56 d permits its angular alignmentto the flexible link 19. The arrangement allows the front portion offoot platform 32 to overlap pulley device 56 and enables the exercisemachine to be constructed with a smaller “footprint”, which is animportant feature for home use. It also makes it feasible to fold themachine for shipping and for storage.

FIG. 5 is a partial view illustrating adjustment mechanism 70 whichconsists of a block 72 that is secured along the lower portion of swingarm 30. Block 72 includes a number of spaced apertures 74 along itslength. A conventional pin arrangement 76, to which the end of flexiblelink 19 is connected, is removably engageable with any of the apertures74 in block 72. The aperture 74 in which pin arrangement 76 is securedthus determines the effective length of flexible link 19 thatinterconnects the foot platforms 32 and 34 and therefore establishes themaximum stride length. When pin arrangement 76 is in the topmost one ofapertures 74, the effective length of flexible link 19 is at a minimum,whereas its effective length is at a maximum when the pin arrangement isin the lowermost one of apertures 74. As will be discussed, machinestride height is also impacted by changes in the adjustment mechanism.

The arrangement whereby the foot platforms are interconnected throughthe flexible link and pulley devices is described as a bias systemwhich, as will be discussed further, establishes a “coincident position”in which the foot platforms are side-by-side. The location of thispoint, which is adjustable by repositioning the pulley device ordevices, is always in front of a “zero position” that is determined by avertical line through the axis of the pivots. With the single swing armsof the inventive device, a novel motion is obtained that simulates acombination of walking and stair climbing While in the two pulleyimplementation of the invention the pulleys need to rotate about asingle axis, in the single pulley implementation, movement is requiredabout multiple axes. It will also be appreciated that, while in theimplementation of the invention the pulley devices are rotatably mountedto accommodate changes in angle of the flexible link during operation ofthe machine, such changes in angularity may also be accommodated by theuse of pulleys with wide spool sheaves. While the machine layoutdescribed is preferred, it will also be readily apparent that otherimplementations of the invention are contemplated.

FIGS. 6-11 are referenced to explain the unique motion achieved withApplicants invention. FIG. 6 shows Applicants' coincident position. Thisposition is attained by the user standing with his weight distributedequally on the foot platforms of the exercise machine. It will be seenthat the user's center of weight, i.e., a vertical line through theuser's center of gravity, is biased in front of pivot 42 of the exercisemachine. It will be seen that Applicants' coincident positioncorresponds to the neutral position discussed in the Simonson patent. InFIG. 7, Applicants' zero position is attained when the user places allof his weight on only one of the foot platforms. In Applicants' machine,the zero position is attainable by the user at all times, which is animportant aspect of the invention.

While the Applicants', the Giannelli publication's and the Simonsonpatent's exercise machines all bias the user's weight out in front ofthe swing arm pivots, Applicants' use of single swing arms with fixedfoot platforms, versus the Giannelli' publication's and the Simonsonpatent's use of parallelogram type multiple swing arms for keeping thefoot platforms generally parallel to the ground, yields significantlydifferent effects on the user's calf muscles, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.Specifically, with Applicants' single swing arm system, the user's calfmuscles are activated to a much greater extent than they are with theGiannelli publication's and the Simonson patent's parallelogram typemultiple swing arms. Whereas, for example the user's ankles are flexedbetween approximately 100® and 80° in Applicants' machine, the user'sankles barely flex at all in the Giannelli publication's and theSimonson patent's machine, remaining at approximately 90° throughout.

Applicants' forwardly extending horizontal handles also have a markedimpact on the operation of their machine. As shown in FIG. 11, with theinvention, should a user desire a strenuous arm workout, he may readilyuse his body weight to counter his pushing and pulling on the horizontalhandles, thus enabling a significant working of his triceps. On theother hand the user may opt to gently pull up on the handles to helppropel the machine, resulting in a hand motion very similar to walkingwith small weights. Specifically, the hands move in an arc that iscentered just below the user's elbow. The user is also lifting againsthis feet, which maintains an upward pull during the eccentric andconcentric motions of the biceps (extension and contraction of themuscle). Also, positioning the handles horizontally at about the hiplevel of an average user allows the user to use a very natural motion,specifically to put his weight on his hands, similar to what people oncrutches (or older folks with walkers) must do to maintain a continuousload in one direction. In the Giannelli publication and the Simonsonpatent, (FIG. 10) the handles are out front and upright, and each armmust counter the other, alternating between pushing and pulling witheach stroke. This results in considerable twisting of the user's torso,which is uncomfortable, and generally discourages the user from workinghis arms very much.

Another important aspect of the invention is its bias adjustment system.Reference to FIGS. 12 and 13, representing the Giannelli system andFIGS. 14 and 15 representing the present invention system, willillustrate this aspect of the invention. The Giannelli system uses amomentum wheel that is connected by a crank to the multiple swing arms.The momentum wheel is adjustable, back and forth, in order to change theangular position of the arc that the user's feet move in, namely, lowerin the arc (closer to the zero position) for less climbing motion andhigher in the arc for more climbing motion. However, the Giannellisystem has a fixed length of stride that is dictated by the crank.Therefore, adjustment of the crank wheel position changes both the topand bottom points of the stride. This is clearly illustrated by FIGS. 12and 13.

Applicants' system, to the contrary, has a variable stride length, whichthe user chooses. Changes in the length of the flexible link or changesin pulley position (as is shown FIG. 17) result in changing thecoincident position of the foot platforms; but the user can still strideall the way to the zero position (or even past the zero position if hepushes back at the end of the stride). The tendency to follow each stepto the zero position is a natural one, which gives the user the feelingof a complete step. At the bottom of the stride the user feels the footplatform smoothly bottom out, signaling that it is time to transfer hisweight to the other foot. If he does not step back to the zero position,the sensation is unnatural, like walking with bent knees. Therefore,with the invention an adjustment in the coincident position also resultsin an effective change of stride length when the user naturally followsthrough to the zero position.

Applicants have learned from long experience with their commercialglider exercise machines that many less-fit users prefer a shortshuffling action. Shuffling is a relatively low effort movement thatdepends upon stepping only a short distance to and from the zeroposition, and is readily achieved with the inventive machine byadjusting the coincident position rearward (toward the zero position).Conversely, adjusting the coincident position forward (away from thezero position) results in a longer stride. This produces a much higherstep at the top of the stride, thus working the quadriceps harder andintensifying the cardio workout. It will be noted that when shuffling isachieved by effectively lengthening the flexible link, a longer strideis actually achievable by the user pushing back past the zero position,although this is an unnatural movement and will probably be avoided bymost users, therefore resulting instead in a shorter stride.

In operation, a user steps on the foot platforms 32 and 34 whilegrasping the handles 16 and 18. When the user is in a rest or idleposition, i.e., standing with weight equally distributed on the footplatforms, his center of weight will be biased forward of the horizontalaxis defined by the pivots 40 and 42 (the coincident position). Thisrelationship is determined by the effective length of flexible link 19and is selected in this invention to produce this bias even at itsmaximum length setting, which is with pin arrangement 76 in thelowermost aperture 74. As the user performs his exercise, he may electto engage his arms by simultaneously pushing down or pulling up on thehorizontally extending handles 16 and 18. This is not only beneficialfor the user's upper body, but provides a feeling of stability in normaluse of the machine, similar to the effect experienced with aconventional walker, where the user uses his arms to aid his walkingmovements. It will also be appreciated that the single swing armarrangement provides a distinct travel arc, which exercises the user'sankles and feet more than is possible with foot platforms suspended in aparallelogram from multiple swing arms. Also, it will be seen that thepulleys are positioned below the travel arc of the foot platforms, whichenables the foot platforms to pass thereover without interference. Thismakes for a very compact design which also lends itself to foldability,which is often desirable for home use.

This feature is better illustrated in FIG. 16 where the positioning ofthe pulley device is low to the floor and below the travel arc of thefoot platforms. The small machine footprint and the “A frame”construction also enhance the machine's foldability. For example,provision for removable (or inwardly rotatable) handles and a fold uparrangement for the foot platforms results in a very compact machine forshipping or storage.

In FIG. 17 a single pulley implementation of the exercise machine isshown. The single pulley 66 a consists of an elongated U-shaped frame 66b, with aligned apertures in each leg, connected to cross tube 17 by aconventional swivel connection 66 c that enables up and down androtational motion. A pulley sheave 66 d is removably secured in one ofthe apertures by a pin mechanism 66 e. Adjustment of the coincidentposition is obtained by repositioning the pulley in the U-shaped frameapertures. The flexible link 19 has its ends coupled to the inside heelsof the foot platforms 32 and 34 for clearance purposes.

FIG. 18 illustrates an alternative technique for adjusting flexible link19. In this embodiment, the apertures 74 a are formed in the side offoot platform 34 and flexible link 19 is guided along the side byfitting 62. A pin arrangement 76 a secures the end of flexible link 19in the desired one of apertures 74 a. It should be noted that only asingle one of the two methods of adjusting the bias will be employed ina given machine, although both may be used, if desired. It will beappreciated that the invention is not dependent upon such details and isto be limited only as defined in the claims.

1. An exercise machine comprising: a frame supporting verticallyelevated and horizontally displaced pivots, a vertical plane through thehorizontal axis of said pivots defining a zero position; a pair ofsingle swing arms, each including a foot platform rigidly securedthereto, rotatably coupled to respective ones of said pivots; saidsingle swing arms being interconnected to cause alternating movement ofsaid foot platforms through a coincident position defined by said footplatforms being alongside each other; and a bias system for biasing saidswing arms such that said coincident position is in front of said zeroposition.
 2. The machine of claim 1, further including a pair ofhandles, each movable with a respective one of said swing arms, whichextend substantially horizontally beyond said coincident position. 3.The machine of claim 1, wherein said bias system includes: a pulleyarrangement coupled to said frame in front of said coincident position;and a flexible link traversing said pulley arrangement and engaging saidfoot platforms.
 4. The machine of claim 3 wherein the length of saidflexible link is adjustable.
 5. The machine of claim 4, furtherincluding an adjustment mechanism for enabling a user to change theeffective length of said flexible link.
 6. The machine of claim 5,wherein said adjustment mechanism includes: a movable pin on one end ofsaid flexible link; and a plurality of apertures, located adjacent acorresponding swing arm, engageable with said pin.
 7. The machine ofclaim 6, further including a pair of handles, at substantially the levelof said pivots, said handles being movable with a respective one of saidswing arms and extending substantially horizontally beyond saidcoincident position.
 8. The machine of claim 3, wherein the distancebetween said pulley arrangement and said coincident position isadjustable.
 9. The machine of claim 3, wherein: said pulley arrangementis rotatably mounted on said frame below said arcs; and said flexiblelink engages the heels of said foot platforms, whereby said arcs maysubstantially overlap said pulley arrangement.
 10. The machine of claim9, wherein said frame includes: front and rear supports hinged to forman “A” configuration; and a pair of flexible tension braces connectingsaid front and rear supports.
 11. The machine of claim 3, wherein saidbias system is adjustable for changing the distance between said zeroposition and said coincident position.
 12. The machine of claim 3,wherein said bias system is adjustable for changing the length of saidarcs.
 13. The machine of claim 3, wherein said bias system is adjustablefor independently changing the distance between said zero position andsaid zero position and changing the length of said arcs.
 14. The machineof claim 13, wherein said bias system is adjustable for simultaneouslychanging the distance between said zero position and said coincidentposition and the length of said arcs.
 15. An exercise machinecomprising: a frame supporting vertically elevated and horizontallydisplaced pivots, a vertical plane through the horizontal axis of saidpivots defining a zero position; a pair of single swing arms, eachincluding a foot platform rigidly secured thereto, coupled to respectiveones of said pivots; said single swing arms being interconnected tocause alternating movement of said foot platforms in arcs through acoincident position defined by said foot platforms being alongside eachother; a bias system, for biasing said swing arms such that saidcoincident position is in front of said zero position, said bias systemincluding: a pulley arrangement mounted on said frame below said arcs infront of said coincident position; a flexible link traversing saidpulley arrangement and engaging said foot platforms; and said flexiblelink engaging the heels of said foot platforms, whereby said arcs maysubstantially overlap said pulley arrangement.
 16. The machine of claim15, wherein said frame includes: front and rear supports hinged togetherto form an “A” configuration; and a pair of flexible tension bracesconnecting said front and rear supports.
 17. An exercise machinecomprising: a frame supporting vertically elevated and horizontallydisplaced pivots, a vertical plane through the horizontal axis of saidpivots defining a zero position; a pair of single swing arms, eachincluding a foot platform rigidly secured thereto, rotatably coupled torespective ones of said pivots; said single swing arms beinginterconnected to cause alternating movement of said foot platforms inarcs through a coincident position defined by said foot platforms beingalongside each other; and a bias system for biasing said swing arms suchthat said coincident position is in front of said zero position, saidbias system including: a pulley arrangement rotatably mounted on saidframe; and a flexible link traversing said pulley arrangement andengaging said foot platforms.
 18. The machine of claim 17, wherein saidbias system is adjustable for changing the distance between said zeroposition and said coincident position.
 19. The machine of claim 18,wherein said distance between said zero position and said coincidentposition is adjustable by changing the length of said arcs.
 20. Themachine of claim 18, wherein said distance between said zero positionand said coincident position is adjustable by changing the location ofsaid pulley arrangement on said frame.